Respect For George Lucas

In this thread, how about we talk about things we LIKE about George Lucas, the man that started it all.

Why? Well, ever since the Special Editions, and then Episode 1, many people were angry at George Lucas. Over the years there has been so much disrespect towards him all over the web and personally I find it awful. I mean I really feel bad for the guy. Here we have a man with an incredible imagination that gave us the best films of ALL TIME, and everyone is still whining and complaining that he couldn't live up to his standards. Just look at what he was up against.

A quote from George Lucas about making more movies after the prequels:"Why would I make any more when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?"

...That's pretty sad if you ask me. As much as I dislike Jar Jar, I simply don't think he deserves the disrespect.

Personally I think it was an incredibly brave move for him to make the Prequels so different than the originals. Making them like the originals would have been the easy way out, however, he pushed the envelope and did something new. And now, he's been paying the price ever since. Sure the prequels have some flaws, but as a whole they are actually fantastic movies, despite what anyone says. They're a heck of a lot better than a lot of movies coming out today. Also, because the prequels were so different, the Star Wars universe became so much more diverse, which is a great thing.

So, Basically what Im trying to say is that for Star Wars fans, we owe George Lucas EVERYTHING and as hardcore Star Wars fans (I consider most people on this site to be a hard core Star Wars fans, because you're on a freakin' forum) we need to remember that. And we also need to remember that the new trilogy is coming out because of HIM. He still created it and set the framework for the new trilogy. He understands that they need to be made by someone else and he is still doing what he thinks is best for Star Wars like he always has, even when we feel he didn't get is quite right.

I have all the respect in the world for the man and no matter how you look at it, he made the best movies of all time wether you like the prequels or not.

If there was anything I ever respected about Lucas that made it through him selling SW to Disney, it's his stance on the EU. "There's MY universe, then there's that universe."

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You cant begrudge him selling it to Disney. After all the years he put into his franchise, he had every right to walk away. That man has suffered more stress and grief that we will ever know. I am amazed he survived it with his health relatively intact, to be perfectly honest.

I love George Lucas for transforming the movie industry and giving us a story that has crossed generations.

With the OP, I agree wholeheartedly, although I feel there's more to it than that. Even I've been critical of my fair share of what I perceive to be flaws in the PT, and the re-mastered OT, but that doesn't mean that I have any less respect for Lucas as a person or as a genius mastermind behind one of--if not THE--greatest franchises of all time. There's a difference between fan devotion to a product that you love, and passion bordering on obsession. A typical fan devotee to Star Wars--myself included--admittedly, will tear apart anything that they perceive to be flawed because we care so strongly about Star Wars, and we all have our preferences as to what makes us fans. Heck, we even say stuff we don't mean sometimes in the heat of a debate or whatever. Now, the latter (obsession) drives a "die-hard" fan to take things too far, such as when threats are made toward Lucas or his family, and even personal attacks are made toward his character. Thankfully that doesn't seem to happen on this website. The key is not to be detrimental or demeaning, and in large part I'd like to think that most, if not everyone on these forums are just devoted fans that wish the best for a product that they grew to care about through George Lucas' genius.

...and rest assured, Lucas is having a good laugh at our expense due to the lack of Star Wars news at the moment, so it all balances itself out.

Sometimes criticism reveals just how much a person loves something. When we deeply and intimately love something or someone, it sort of gives us permission to critique it or them. Also, when fans complain, it shows in an inverted way how much they really do care about the films and plight of the characters, instead of just responding to them with apathy.

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I posted this a few days ago in a thread in the In-Depth forum and it seemed relevant here as well...

I want to emphasize that by sharing this that I am not condoning or encouraging criticizing GL by any means...but more as a way that I have found that helps me to be compassionate and understand (or at least try to) whysome fans act as they do to someone and something that is obviously so important to them in their lives.

A typical fan devotee to Star Wars--myself included--admittedly, will tear apart anything that they perceive to be flawed because we care so strongly about Star Wars, and we all have our preferences as to what makes us fans. Heck, we even say stuff we don't mean sometimes in the heat of a debate or whatever. Now, the latter (obsession) drives a "die-hard" fan to take things too far, such as when threats are made toward Lucas or his family, and even personal attacks are made toward his character.

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This is a good point. And Ananta (above) made a similar one. I have torn apart TPM and AOTC myself. Do I wish they were better films? Absolutely. Heck I think there are even some things that could have been better in the OT. We want to do this because we love Star Wars so much.

I am sure George Lucas is laughing all the way to the bank and cares very little about what pee-ons think about his work. Sure it's easy to be critical of his films, but it makes very little difference. He has stated in numerous articles that he was making the movies that he wanted to make, which is why he allows the EU stories, because those are what the critical fans should be reading. Better yet, let's see critical fans write their own books, It won't have near the impact of what George Lucas has created. If I had ten seconds of George Lucas time, I I would only say this... "Thank you for letting us (the fans) have the 'E-Ticket' on your Magic Carpet." Then I would lower my head in respect and go about my business.

I am sure George Lucas is laughing all the way to the bank and cares very little about what pee-ons think about his work. Sure it's easy to be critical of his films, but it makes very little difference

you see this is what I knew this thread would become, making remarks about people that are critical about his work (as if it's against decency to have an opposing view). And by that same token it makes very little difference to him to those that like his work if "he's laughing all the way to the bank"

He has stated in numerous articles that he was making the movies that he wanted to make

he also stated at the lifetime achievement awards in his speech that he wants people to enjoy his movies, otherwise there would be no point in making them.

Better yet, let's see critical fans write their own books, It won't have near the impact of what George Lucas has created.

reverse logic, for all you know Tolkien, Rowling, King or even Shakespeare could have been/are critical of Star Wars, what would you say to these successful people?

Edit: I don't mean to be argumentative of your point, I too (believe it or not) respect the work and world creating of Lucas, I think AOTC is a marvellous film and would probably put it in my top ten, I just don't like when fans of any franchise call others out on not liking the same things they do.

If I had ten seconds of George Lucas time, I I would only say this... "Thank you for letting us (the fans) have the 'E-Ticket' on your Magic Carpet." Then I would lower my head in respect and go about my business.

In the end, it makes little difference, George Lucas has achieved more than his detractors, critics and haters.

If I had ten seconds of George Lucas time, I I would only say this... "Thank you for letting us (the fans) have the 'E-Ticket' on your Magic Carpet." Then I would lower my head in respect and go about my business.

I am going to agree that George Lucas is pretty much a bad ass, and none of us would even know about Star Wars, if not for his vision. Sure, people are going to love him or hate him, but I agree, he made the films that he wanted to make. He became a Billionaire may times over in the process. Good day to Mr Lucas.

Fans complain about all actors and directors, as Lucas is not the only one. Go ask Ben Affleck what fans think of him playing Batman in the Batman/Superman movie in 2015. Go ask Francis Ford Coppola what fans thought of Godfather III and what they thought of his own daughter playing in the movie too. Go ask Brett Ratner what fans thought X Men: The Final Stand and how they thought he ruined the franchise after taking over as director.

I don't condone this type of stuff, but the internet (Twitter, Facebook, Movie Forums) has given a microphone to ALL fans to voice their opinion unfiltered. I feel for Lucas, but every person in Hollywood gets grief from the fans if they don't like something they do, as thats the trade off for being millionaires. As the old saying goes, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!"

Fans complain about all actors and directors, as Lucas is not the only one. Go ask Ben Affleck what fans think of him playing Batman in the Batman/Superman movie in 2015. Go ask Francis Ford Coppola what fans thought of Godfather III and what they thought of his own daughter playing in the movie too. Go ask Brett Ratner what fans thought X Men: The Final Stand and how they thought he ruined the franchise after taking over as director.

I don't condone this type of stuff, but the internet (Twitter, Facebook, Movie Forums) has given a microphone to ALL fans to voice their opinion unfiltered. I feel for Lucas, but every person in Hollywood gets grief from the fans if they don't like something they do, as thats the trade off for being millionaires. As the old saying goes, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!"